Michigan boy to honor Sandy Hook victims with toy donations

An 11-year-old Michigan boy is honoring the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting by asking for toy donations.

Noah Hudson-Peralta, a sixth-grade student at L’anse Creuse Middle School South, is encouraging anyone in metro Detroit to consider Saturday "Sandy Hook Day" and mark the day by donating a new, wrapped toy to Toys for Tots.

“I wanted to do something to honor these kids, who lost their lives way too early,” Noah said. “My dad and I came up with an idea while we were out Christmas shopping for family members.”

Noah’s father -- web/graphic designer and motivational speaker Ryan Hudson-Peralta -- has created a website, GiftsFor20.org, and established a Facebook page in support of his son’s selfless crusade. “Noah was crushed, like all of us that day, and said he wanted to do something to honor those sweet, innocent kids,” Ryan said. “We thought, what would be better than to have other kids make a sacrifice of their own to help a child in need, and to do it in honor of the Sandy Hook 20?”

In many areas of metro Detroit, Saturday is the last day Toys for Tots can collect donated items in time to distribute them to deserving children on Christmas Day. Participants are asked simply to drop off a toy at one of the nearly 700 donation locations throughout the region, including all Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores. Parents are encouraged to use the experience to talk about the tragedy with their children, possibly using the toy donation as an act of closure.